Tale of tales
by Menea111
Summary: New Special Agent Spencer Reid just got accepted in the BAU, and his career in the FBI won't begin easily when someone sent him a human head as 'a present'. A new case begins and the team and Reid will have to explore the young man's past. Set before season 1 but will feature Prentiss. Rating may change
1. A Morbid Parcel

**Tale of Tales**

**New Special Agent Spencer Reid just got accepted in the BAU, and his career in the FBI won't begin easily when someone sent him a human head as 'a present'. A new case begins and the team and Reid will have to explore the young man's past. Set before season 1 but will feature Prentiss.**

**Beta Reader: Lizzabet**

**A morbid parcel**

"_Tell us a horror story."_

_Four kids were walking in the forest. One of them had discovered a spot that they just had to see. Though the night would come soon, the kids didn't really fear the consequences of their actions. They were always getting beaten for a reason or another. They were the only humans here and it was all that mattered, here they could forget everything._

"_Once we are there, you'll tell us a story."_

_They finally reached a small cave near the river. Only kids were tiny enough to make their way through the thick vegetation, so they knew they would be in peace here, far form the adults who tormented them. The place was wonderful, it was wild, the high trees looked like giant kings towering over them, the river was running at a fast pace, dangerous and beautiful, in the dusk the water looked like silver. The shadows growing over the trees and the forest as the evening was coming were making the place look even wilder. _

_The children settled in the cave and felt privileged to have this wild place for them only. _

"_Come on Spencer; tell us a horror story…"_

Being new in the FBI wasn't really easy but if you on top of that were a twenty-two year old genius, very thin and shy, it could be very difficult. Spencer Reid knew that very well, he was new in the BAU, he had participated in his first case two weeks ago and now at least his team members would take him a little more seriously. Only Hoch and Gideon were taking him seriously at first, the rest of the team, Elle, Morgan, JJ and Garcia were more sceptics.

Garcia didn't allow herself to make any comment because she was also new but no one doubted she could be a great Tech analysis and though she liked Reid, she couldn't help but think he was too young and vulnerable for this job. JJ thought the same and even if she wasn't very experienced herself as a field agent she was quite worried for the young man. She was nice but Reid could see she thought he was weird and too young.

Elle was polite but distant and quite cold toward him, maybe she was jealous because she fought to have a place in the BAU and Reid got it right after the Academy. Morgan viewed him as a kid and was very annoyed at his rants, sure that he was good when it came to theory but he wasn't sure the guy would be able to have his back in the field.

When he participated in his first investigation he at least proved he could handle a crime scene without being sick. In fact, both Morgan and Elle were astonished at how Reid could look at a corpse without puking or at least turn slightly green like every newbie did. He also showed he was good at profiling. Still, he knew what most people thought of him but it wouldn't make him quit. He had also fought to get in here and maybe more than anyone, even if they didn't know.

Right now he was working in silence while Morgan and Elle were talking together; he didn't listen to what they said, it was about the next basketball Game and it wasn't really interesting to him. Garcia who was getting bored decided to pay them a little visit. She said hello to Reid and joined Morgan and Elle's discussion. Spencer was focusing on what he was doing; he didn't notice a delivery man entering the bullpen. He was taken out of his activity by Garcia's voice.

"Hey, genius! There's something for you."

"What?"

He turned to see a delivery man with a parcel for him.

"Spencer Reid?"

"Yes."

"This is for you."

Though he was very surprised, he took it, signed and opened it. While Derek and Elle showed little interest, Garcia was curious.

"Were you waiting for something?"

"No, that's why I'm astonished."

"Maybe it's something from a secret admirer," teased Morgan.

Once it was opened, Reid's eyes widened and he paled, Garcia looked at it. When she saw what was inside she screamed and backed away. Seeing Garcia's reaction, Morgan and Elle also looked at it, Elle put her hand over her mouth and Derek went completely still. Inside the parcel was a human head wrapped in plastic bag.

"Oh my God…"murmured Garcia who was beginning to feel nauseous.

Some other agents went to look at it, Reid left before someone could ask him anything; he went to tell Gideon and Hotch about it. They were both in Hotch's office, he entered without even knocking. When they saw him, both knew something was wrong.

"Reid? What's up?"

"Someone sent me…A head in a parcel." God he never thought he would ever say such a thing.

Both stood up and followed the young man, they passed through the crowd who had gathered around Reid's desk and saw it. It was the head of an old man. Thankfully none of the agents here had been stupid enough to touch anything. JJ was at Greenaway and Morgan's sides, she was very pale. Garcia had left for the bathroom to empty her guts.

"Okay everyone; give us some space this is about our team."

"No, it's about that weirdo," said Anderson with some disdain.

"Get off, Anderson!" Shouted Elle angrily

The agents dispersed, though they were all talking about it, they would let the team do their job.

"We have to find the delivery man," said Gideon, "maybe he can say who sent it."

"We also have to identify the victim…"

"I know who this is," interrupted Reid.

They all looked at him, he seemed tormented and upset right now.

"His name is Marc Potter, a farmer I knew when I was a kid."

"He was a friend of your family?" Asked JJ

"Not at all," answered Reid.

Morgan noticed something under the head, it looked like a notebook. He took a tissue and seized it. It looked like a school report, on the green cover was written: "Tales of the haunted forest". He could see it was a childish handwriting.

"Hey guys, look at this. Does it ring a bell for you, Reid?"

The young man didn't say anything at first but he went even paler and this time they wondered if he was going to faint.

"Reid! Are you alright?"

He wasn't at all.

"I need to make a phone call."

He left the bullpen and went into the bathroom. He was feeling sick, not because of the head but because of the notebook. He knew who its owner was but it was just impossible…He didn't want all this; he hoped it was a nightmare. He felt desperate, when he finally thought he had left the past behind it was coming back right at him. He took his phone out of his pocket and contemplated it for some seconds. The person he was about to call would be as upset as him, he knew it.

'_What will _she_ say when she'll learn?"_

Plus she wouldn't be the only one who would be hurt by this. He didn't want them to be exposed to this but he didn't have the choice. Taking a deep breath, he finally dialled her number and waited for her to answer.

"Emily Prentiss."

"Hi Emily, it's Spencer…"

**Hope you liked! Review please, I am always curious to know what you think about my stories!**


	2. An Old Wound

**Chapter 2**

**Hi! Here is the new chapter, thanks a lot to those who reviewed it's always nice to read! I'm sorry for the time it took to update; really, I have currently a lot of work.**

**Enjoy!**

**An Old Wound**

It was so strange to hear her voice again; he hadn't spoken to her in two years…

"Spencer Reid? God it's been a while!"

She sounded happy but it wouldn't last, he knew it.

"Yes, I am glad to hear from you, I should have called sooner."

"No it's alright; I mean I should have called too. I saw you have been accepted in the FBI, I was busy but I should have called. What's up, you sounds upset?"

"Well, someone sent me something this morning, a human head."

"What?"

He heard the stupor and the horror and felt sad for her, one second ago she just sounded genuinely happy to hear him.

"You hear well…It's Marc Potter's one, you remember him?"

"I do, are you alright?"

"I am. But the strangest thing is…With the head, there was something else: Gary's notebook."

"Gary…"

He didn't need to see her to know she was completely baffled at this. None of them had heard about Gary Michaels, their childhood friend, since years. He had disappeared when he was eleven and was never found. It was an old wound which wasn't as vivid as it was years ago, but it was still here.

"Who did this, Spencer?" Asked she

"I don't know. Maybe you should call Jordan to be sure she is okay."

"I will. I'll also ask my superiors to let me investigate; I guess your team took the case?"

"We did."

"Alright, I'll call you back."

The conversation was over. A man entered the bathroom and looked at Reid weirdly, he probably knew about the head. The young man exited the bathroom and joined his team. He hoped Emily would be allowed to join them, she had worked for Interpol before and now she was an FBI agent like him. He also wondered how Jordan would cope with it. Jordan was Emily's adoptive sister, her parents died when she was four and the Prentiss family adopted her. Spencer knew it was to guarantee them with a good reputation because though she was provided with everything she needed, Emily's parents never took a lot of interest in her, and in fact they weren't even very interested in their own daughter. The two sisters were very close however, Reid remembered it very well.

Flashback

_Reid was playing with Gary at the border of the forest, the two were alone as usual. Gary was telling Spencer a horror tale when he saw a truck parking before a big beautiful house. It was a little town and the kids knew perfectly that this house was unoccupied; maybe it had been sold at last._

"_Who decided to move in here?" Asked Spencer_

"_I don't know but obviously they don't know about the ghosts…"_

_The two kids truly believed this house was haunted, though it was huge and beautiful it always gave them goose bumps. Men exited the truck and began to empty it, a car parked and two old people exited it, followed by two little girls. One was quite pale with jet black hair and the other was bi-racial with short hair. They were both pretty and Spencer decided to approach. He was scared because usually other kids than Gary bullied him, but those girls were new, maybe they were different._

"_Hey! What are you doing?"_

_Spencer didn't listen to Gary's protest so his friend just followed him. The old couple was talking with the men and the little girl stayed near the car. The boys approached shyly._

"_Hi…My name is Spencer and this is Gary."_

"_I am Jordan, and this is my sister Emily."_

"_Your sister? But you aren't of the same colour," said Gary._

"_Jordan is my adoptive sister," explained Emily, "but it's as if we were blood sisters."_

_They smiled to each others. _

"_Hum...Where do you come from?"_

"_Boston but our parents have a lot of work, they are always moving," said Emily, "so they sent us to live with our grand-parents."_

"_Okay…Do you want to play with us?"_

_They were going to accept when their grandparents called them. Obviously they wanted the girls to help. _

"_We will play once grandma and grandpa won't need us anymore," said Jordan, "come back later."_

_The girls followed the couple home and the boys went away. Those two seemed nice and both Gary and Michael felt like they were about make new friends._

The four kids became inseparable but everything changed when Gary mysteriously disappeared. He looked at his team, Hotch was discussing with Strauss. Reid didn't know her a lot but he had heard rumours and none of them were good. However, he knew rumours could be unfair. The woman sighted him.

"Agent Reid, your superior told me you know the victim."

"I do Ma'am, his name is Marc Potter and the last time I saw him he was a farmer in Bangor, my native town."

"Alright. I consider it as an affront toward the bureau, I want regular reports."

"You'll have it," said Gideon.

She left with that, Gideon turned toward his protégé and saw how pale he still was.

"The head has been sent to the lab, along with the notebook, they'll give it back as soon as possible to let us investigate, Reid do you…"

"There is…are two more people concerned about this. Their names are Emily Prentiss and Jordan Todd. Emily is an FBI agent, I called her and she wish to be assigned to the investigation."

"Let's go to the conference room, you'll explain everything here. JJ, before you join us call the police, they have to help us to find the delivery man."

Meanwhile, Emily Prentiss was calling her sister. They both lived in New York now and saw each other quite often. Jordan was a doctor and Emily knew she was working right now but it was too important. She felt sick. It was all so sudden, morbid and nightmarish! Reid received a human head along with Gary's notebook! Gary...She went in Law enforcement because she wanted to be able to know what happened to him and she knew Spencer did for the same reason. Her sister answered the phone.

"Hi Emily!"

"Hi Jordan, sorry to bother you but it's very important."

"What's wrong?"

Emily gulped. God, her sister was more sensitive than Reid and her, how would she handle the news? Emily explained everything slowly and carefully; Jordan remained silent for a few seconds.

"He…He received a human head!?"

"Yes and it has something to do with Gary."

"Oh God, it's…"

She suddenly stopped to talk.

"Jordan?"

"Emily…"

"What's wrong?"

"There is a delivery man with a parcel for me…"

Emily froze.

**Review please!**


	3. Turtledove

**Chapter 3**

**Sorry for the time it took to write this, I hope you'll like it anyway. **

**Turtledove**

Police was in Jordan's office as well as Emily. They passed the parcel through many detectors and apparently nothing was wrong with it. An officer opened it with a lot of precaution. Jordan was waiting outside along with her patients and others doctors sharing the cabinet with her; she was worried like hell for Emily. She hoped there was no bomb inside it; she didn't want her sister to die. God her day had begun like any other when suddenly…

Emily exited the building and Jordan was relieved to see she was fine. She noticed that she looked uneasy however.

"What's in it?"

"Come with me…I don't want to talk in front of everyone else."

They entered the cabinet and Jordan saw inside the parcel a dead turtledove. Her heart clenched at this, it was just so sick! She loved turtledoves and she felt sad for this poor beast.

"Who did this?"

"I don't know, I will call to join Spencer's investigation."

"Hey, I found something," said a cop, "it's a letter, it was under the bird's corpse."

Emily took the letter and read it with Jordan

"_Very Dear Jordan,_

_This present is for you, I hope you'll like it. I sent something that should please Spencer too. Emily will receive something soon but I want to make her wait a little, she was always the one saying: waiting for something makes it better. She will wait a little, I hope you'll come back to Bangor, the three of you, you are precious to me._

_Love,_

_Anonymous._

The two looked at each other, how the hell did this psycho know them so well? To Emily's surprise Jordan didn't look distressed but resigned.

"It's seems I will have to go with you."

Emily wanted to protest but realised Jordan was right, even if the Unsub didn't write a clear demand it was highly possible that Jordan's absence would anger them. Still, she didn't want her to be a part of this; after all she was a civilian and the only one she considered as family. She called Spencer.

Meanwhile, Reid was talking in the conference room, he had everyone's attention focused on him and he didn't like it one bit. They told the police to search for the man who delivered the parcel and while they were searching, Reid was giving his team some explanations.

"Emily and Jordan are childhood friends, when we were kids we were always playing together with another boy, Gary Michaels. He was a very good friend…He disappeared when he was eleven and no one knows what happened to him."

He hated it, they all had looks of sympathy on their face and he knew they were thinking that they just discovered why he decided to become a FBI agent. He hated to be exposed like this.

"We were playing in the forest most of the time and we had taken the habit to tell each others stories of our own each Friday once school was over. Gary wrote each one of them in some notebooks, I received the very first one he used with the head. He was always saying…That when he would be older he would try to make a book with it and publish the stories, of course it never happened. After Gary disappeared, the person who took him or…killed him broke in his parent's house and stole some stuff, like clothes and the notebooks. None of his stuff was ever found that's why the only one who could have done this is Gary's kidnapper."

He took a breath and tried to ignore the eyes directed on him.

"I told Emily, she wishes to join our investigation and I think she would be a good asset."

"It's no problem, we will have to talk to her and Jordan Todd anyway," said Gideon, "now I want you to tell us more about the victim."

Spencer bit his lip. If he began to talk about Potter he would have to talk about many other things.

"He was a farmer, he didn't like us and it was reciprocated. From times to times we stole some things from his production, me especially."

"It was a payback?" Asked Morgan

"No. Anyway we always saw him as some kind of enemy, some kind of bogeyman. We stopped when another farmer took a liking on us. He proposed us to help him sometimes with farm work and in exchange he would give us some food and sometimes money so we didn't approach Potter's farm again."

Elle wanted to ask him something but she was interrupted when Reid's phone rang.

"Turn it off," said Hotch.

"It's Emily."

"Okay, put her on speakers."

"Hi, Emily, you're on speakers my team hears you."

"Hi Spencer, and hi to all of you, I am with Jordan right now and she received a parcel too, it contained a dead turtledove and a letter. I'll read it to you."

They listened to Emily's reading. Spencer paled when he heard it, he didn't like to have Jordan involved this way.

"Is Jordan okay?"

"I am fine Spence," said Jordan who was listening at their conversation.

He smiled slightly.

"I think the letter imply that the killer wants Jordan to come with us."

"It's possible,' said Hotch, "Reid told me you want to join the investigation, our liaison agent will make a request to our superior. Did you interrogate the delivery man?"

"Yeah but he said he doesn't know anything, it was sent from Bangor and it had been delivered to Jordan's office, nothing more. What about you?"

"We still have to find him; he exited the building before Reid opened it."

"Emily, there is something I am thinking about," said Reid, "a dead turtledove and a cut head…"

"Yeah, I thought about it too. What is he going to send me, a dead wolf?"

The team couldn't understand what it could mean but Reid did.

"I don't know."

"Okay, continue to investigate on your side, we will contact you later agent Prentiss."

Emily hung up the phone, knowing Reid's boss wanted some explanation for him. Anyway, she had to call her superiors about all this. Hotch told JJ to do a request about agent Prentiss joining the team along with a civilian who would help as a witness. The blond nodded, though she wished to hear more from Reid she had to do her job. She realised she didn't know anything about him but she remembered she never took much time to try to know him really well. Morgan, Garcia and Elle were thinking quite the same thing right now and once again they were surprised at the way Reid handled this.

The young man didn't even wait for someone to ask him what Emily and he thought about, he knew they would.

"There is something I realised, the cut head and the dead turtledove are elements of stories we invented. It could be written in the notebook that was sent to us, Jordan's story was about a man who liked to raise turtledoves and kill them and mine was about a ghost who beheaded people."

Reid was feeling anxious, he knew his team would read the stories and after that their poor opinion of him would be lower than ever. Even Hotch and Gideon wouldn't look at him the same way.

"It was horror stories you would tell each others," concluded Gideon.

"Yeah, and I guess you'll read it."

"It will be necessary; there could be a message in it."

Spencer didn't protest but he hated it. He knew however it could be his chance to know what happened to Gary so he had to accept it.

**Review, please.**


End file.
